Lesson 3/34 min
Membership of international organisations
When Bangladesh joined
| Organisation | Joined |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth | 18 April 1972 (Pakistan left in protest) |
| ILO | 22 June 1972 |
| IMF, World Bank (IBRD and IDA) | 17 August 1972 |
| UNESCO | 1972 |
| Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) | 1973 (Algiers summit) |
| FAO | 12 November 1973 |
| OIC | 23 February 1974 (Lahore summit) |
| United Nations | 17 September 1974 (136th member) |
| Islamic Development Bank (IDB) | 1975 (founder member) |
| SAARC | 1985 (first summit in Dhaka, 7–8 December; founder member) |
| WTO | 1 January 1995 |
| BIMSTEC | 6 June 1997 (Bangkok Declaration; founder member) |
| D-8 | 1997 (founder member) |
| International Criminal Court (ICC) | 23 March 2010 |
| New Development Bank (BRICS bank) | 2 September 2021 (admitted as member) |
Watch out: For the Commonwealth the book says ‘32nd member’, while the Commonwealth Secretariat's history now says 34th: the number is disputed, the date is not. A book gives 10 May 1972 for the IMF; the IMF's own list says 17 August 1972. For FAO a book says 1972, but FAO's record says 12 November 1973.
Bangladesh at the United Nations
- Blocked in 1972 by China's veto; admitted in 1974
- Membership: 17 September 1974, at the 29th session, as the 136th member
- Bangabandhu's first speech in Bangla: 25 September 1974
- Non-permanent member of the Security Council twice: 1979–80 and 2000–01
- Presided over the Council twice: March 2000 and June 2001; Permanent Representative Anwarul Karim Chowdhury
- President of the General Assembly: Humayun Rashid Choudhury, 1986, 41st session (first Bangladeshi)
- Second Bangladeshi president: Khalilur Rahman; elected 2 June 2026, took office 8 September 2026, 81st session
Headquartered in Dhaka
- CIRDAP has its headquarters in Dhaka
- The BIMSTEC Secretariat is in Dhaka, established in 2014
Check yourself
Who was the first Bangladeshi President of the UN General Assembly?
At a glance
- 1
Commonwealth 18 April 1972; IMF and World Bank 17 August 1972; NAM 1973; OIC 1974.
- 2
136th member of the UN: 17 September 1974 (29th session).
- 3
Non-permanent member of the Security Council 1979–80 and 2000–01 (twice in all).
- 4
Presidents of the General Assembly: Humayun Rashid Choudhury (1986) and Khalilur Rahman (2026–27).
- 5
WTO 1 January 1995; BIMSTEC 6 June 1997; ICC 23 March 2010.